Between Friends
by Lil.Miss.Moonie
Summary: What happens when you're desperate enough to keep your best friend? Things escalate.


**Between Friends**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Riley Stavros, Peter Stone, or Mia Jones.**

"You know, I never stop thinking about it."

Riley glanced at Peter with a confused look on his face. "And 'it' would be..?"

"When you kissed me."

Riley stopped short. It just so happened that the two of them were only a block away from Peter's house, where they had plans to try and play video games _without _all the madness of making out.

Peter, who had kept on walking, stopped and turned to face Riley. "Something wrong?"

"Why did you bring that up?"

Peter shrugged. "It felt like the right time. I mean we haven't been to my house alone since then."

Riley couldn't meet Peter's eyes. Of course he had thought about it, too. Endlessly, day after day after day. Every time Riley so much as heard Peter's name his mind was filled with the contents of that day and the taste of Peter's lips. But Riley didn't want Peter to know that. As far as Peter was concerned, it was a mistake that Riley greatly regretted. But Riley's a bad liar.

Trying to stay secretive, Riley smirked and caught up with Peter as they resumed their walk. "Don't worry, I promise this time I _won't _try to rape you."

Peter smiled as the two continued to his house.

*****

Riley didn't watch Mia and Peter as their lips met. He didn't watch when Peter pulled her into a hug and stared at her lovingly. He just quietly sipped his soda or shuffled through his folders until they were done. It worried Riley, just seeing them near eachother. Riley knew about Darcy, too, so in denial he told himself that he was worried Darcy would find out. It felt like a soap opera to him. He would stare into space wondering, "Who will Peter pick? Mia or Darcy? Darcy or Mia?"

It gave Riley a sence of reassuring pleasure that after his two "true loves" abandonded him, Riley would be all he had left.

It made him sick to think he could only be an option if there were none left.

*****

Peter's hand was on Riley's knee.

Riley looked away from the television set the two had been watching. As one player attempted to run nearly across the whole field to make the winning touchdown, Peter watched in anticipation.

"Oh, he's gonna make it, man!" Peter stared with intent at the screen. Riley watched Peter's hand. As the player neared the end of the field, He gripped Riley's knee harder. His fingernails dug into Riley's skin; it hurt Riley in the best kind of way.

This must have been a very long football field; Peter's hand remained on Riley's knee for what felt like minutes on end.

"Touchdown!" Peter's hand was gone. He stood up, fists balled, arms in the air, looking like he had just won the lottery. "Dude, he made it! Why are you not freaking out about this?!"

Riley snapped out of his daydream to find himself still sitting on the couch with Peter staring at him akwardly.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Riley stood and left while Peter looked after him for a moment. Riley locked the bathroom door behind him, washed the sweat from his face, and stood leaned against the wall until the feeling of Peter's grasp had long-since faded away.

*****

_**Oh... yes. Yes.**_

_"Riley, I need you to do something." Peter grabbed Riley by his arm. Riley had no idea where he was. He just remembered he was suddenly surrounded by an endless ocean of grass. He had never been here before and didn't know how to get here but he _was_ here. With Peter._

_"Where are we?" Riley asked looking around and seeing nothing but grass._

_"Riley, listen to me. I really need this."_

_**Don't stop. Don't stop.**_

_"Peter, I'm serious, where the hell are we?"_

_"Would you just shut up and listen?"_

_Riley looked Peter in the eyes and saw something he wanted very badly. Something he knew he could never have outside of his mind. He was scared. This wasn't right. Everything around him felt wrong. He watched Peter's facial expression._

_**Yes, baby. I want you. I need you.**_

_"What do you want from me?"_

_"I want you to reach out." Riley stared when he heard Peter's request. "Reach out and touch me. Tell me if I'm here. If you can feel me."_

_Riley looked confused. He hesitantly lifted his arm, feeling extremely stupid. Slowly, he extended his fingers and trailed them across Peter's face. He felt his skin trembling at Riley's touch. Peter smiled and grabbed Riley's hand._

_**Almost there, almost. Keep going.**_

_"No, Riley," Peter said. "Don't touch me there."_

A groan escaped Riley's mouth as he was instantly booted from his dream. Panting, he stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember each glorious detail of it. Everything, from Peter's sexy voice to the romanticly secluded scene. He was only awake for a few minuted before he realized the uncomfortable sensation in his lower half.

Lifting up his sheets, he groaned to see the sticky white liquid seeping through wherever it could squeeze. He shivered and ran his hand through his hair. Of course Riley had had steamy, sexy dreams about Peter, but that was before the kiss and the akward feeling it created. After it couldn't bring himself to imagine Peter that way before. It just felt wrong. More wrong than it did right.

But it always felt good. More good than it did wrong, and that's what kept him going.

*****

"You know you're my best friend, right?"

Riley nodded. This time it wasn't a dream. He and Peter were on the roof of Peter's home. It was pretty late at night, but Riley, thanks to oblivious parents, was sleeping over. The two had plans to sit up in the sky for most of the night, just because it was relaxing.

"And your mine, man."

Peter shook his head. "I mean, you really are my best friend. Like, in this entire school, I'd rather hang out with you."

"Even more than Mia?" Riley asked with one eyebrow raised. Peter nodded and took a sip of his Pepsi.

"And you know," Peter continued, "I would really do anything for you. Because that's what best friends do."

Riley nodded, wondering where Peter was going with this.

"Anything, Riley."

Riley stared at Peter. He was trying to tell him something, and Riley was afraid he might know the answer.

"So if you're feeling weird about something, and.."

Peter trailed off and the akwardness of the situation began to set in. Riley inhaled and turned to Peter. When Peter didn't meet his eyes, he felt hurt.

"What are you trying to say?" Riley asked, feel a bit nervous.

"It's just, if you feel you have to... to..."

"To what?" Now Riley was getting impatient. He was tired of Peter's on-and-off signals, even the accidental ones. If Peter was trying to make fun of him, he would not hesitate to throw him off the building. When Peter just looked away, Riley grabbed him by his shoulders and forcefully turned him toward him so that Peter was looking directly at him. "What, Peter? What do you want?"

"I'm not," Peter started, shrugging Riley's hands off. "I'm not saying I'm gay or anything..."

Riley felt himself getting furious.

" But... if I'm just making you feel.. weird, then..."

Riley was just about ready to hit Peter in the face.

"I'll be here to help."

He stared. Peter looked up. When he realized Riley wasn't going to respond, he continued.

"I'll be here, for you, if you feel you need to do something just to settle your head. I'm really, really, not saying I want to go out with you... but..."

Peter hesitated. Riley watched silently. Finally Peter sighed. "If you need anything from me, you'll get it."

Riley was speechless. He turned away from Peter, then turned back again.

"I really mean it. Anything." Peter placed his hand on Riley's knee again. Riley watched his eyes sink to his neck, his chest, his waist, and lower still...

Peter was willing. Riley was ready.

Peter met Riley's eyes. Peter could see everything Riley wanted, every dream he had ever had, all the things he imagined and all the things he didn't.

Riley met Peter's eyes. He saw all the things Peter would do for him and only him, and how long he had known about Riley's secret obsession.

But nothing happened. The two laughed and joked around, as though nothing had happened. Riley started bragging about football and Peter started telling him he had a big head. They laughed together and finished their sodas, then went downstairs because it was getting late.

Peter asked Riley if he wanted to sleep up on the bed with him instead of some old blow-up mattress, but Riley declined, saying Peter would probably kick him off for snoring. Then Peter got a strange, sad look on his face.

"It's alright. I... I snore too."

Riley saw the look on Peter's face and realized he would have to say what he was thinking. He sat next to Peter on the bed and looked him in the eyes.

"The only thing I need right now is to know that you'll be here."

Peter smiled. Riley wrapped his arms around Peter, who followed.

It wasn't a gay hug, or an I-want-you hug, or a trying-to-pass-an-akward-moment hug.

It was just a hug.

Between friends.


End file.
